Lawmakers are not getting enough answers to questions surrounding U.S. operations amid the war in Iran, according to Republican Congressman Mike Rogers of Alabama, also chair of the House Armed Services Committee. “We want to know more about what’s going on, what the options are, and why they’re being considered,” he said in part, per Politico.
The outlet also noted that fellow Republican, Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker, understands why Rogers made those comments.
Newsweek reached out to the House Armed Services Committee for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The pushback from Republicans highlights potentially growing intraparty unease over strategy, costs and the risk of escalation in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
The Pentagon prepared to send additional troops—including elements of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and Marines—to bolster operations in the region, as lawmakers have reiterated demands for a clear plan from the White House.
What To Know
Rogers said committee members told defense officials that troops’ movements must be “thoughtful and deliberate” and complained that briefers did not provide general outlines of the mission, amid closed-door sessions with House and Senate Armed Services panels, Politico reports.
“That’s what I conveyed to them at the end of this hearing, is this has consequences if you don’t remedy it,” Rogers said, according to the news outlet, warning that the Trump administration could potentially lose support.
Recent polling among voters, however, suggests strong Republican support of the military action against Iran.
Wicker later added, “I can see why he might have said that,” when asked about Rogers’ criticism following a similar classified Senate briefing, according to Politico, reflecting potential unease among GOP defense leaders.
“I haven’t heard his comment, and I don’t know the context. But I can see why he might have said that,” Wicker said.
“This is not just about Epic Fury,” Rogers also said, per the Politico report. “This is a consistent pattern of tagging the base and saying, ‘We came over and briefed you.’ But they’re not telling us things, substantive things.”
The Pentagon’s reported plans include potentially sending up to 3,000 paratroopers to join thousands of Marines moving toward the Middle East, augmenting an estimated 50,000 U.S. personnel already in the region.
What People Are Saying
Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina, on X Wednesday: “Washington’s war machine has spent decades sending our sons and daughters into endless conflicts in the Middle East, with no clear exit strategy, all to serve the interests of powerful politicians. We will not stand for it. We will not sacrifice American lives for the same failed foreign policies. The war machine may be willing to give the lives of your sons and daughters for the price of oil, but we are not.”
Trump, on Truth Social Wednesday: “The Radical Left, Country Hating Democrats are trying to create inner chaos to take away from the great military achievement we are having in Iran. They hate seeing us WIN so completely and decisively, but the American public sees what is going on. AMERICA FIRST! President DJT”
Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, on X Tuesday: “Iran’s terrorist regime was developing the technology to target the United States within months. President Trump made the necessary, justified decision to protect our homeland.”
What Happens Next
Trump announced on Monday that he instructed the Department of Defense to postpone any and all strikes against Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure for five days amid “very good and productive conversations” with Iran about a resolution of hostilities in the region.
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